NIA court rejects Sachin Vaze's plea seeking 3 months house arrest for 'heart' recovery

An NIA Court on Wednesday dismissed sacked and disgraced Mumbai Police API Sachin Vaze's plea to be kept under house custody. Vaze, who was arrested in the Antilia bomb scare and businessman Mansukh Hiran's murder case and has been chargesheeted for murder and terrorism, had filed a plea seeking a 3 months house arrest in order to recover post his 'heart' surgery. Vaze had undergone an open 'heart' bypass surgery at a private hospital on September 13. As per ANI, Vaze will be shifted to Tajola Jail Hospital. 

In the house arrest plea, the NIA on Monday had urged the special court to not permit house custody for dismissed cop Sachin Vaze, as he may abscond. The NIA had filed its affidavit in response to Vaze's application seeking to be placed under house arrest for three months. 

The NIA in its affidavit had stated that great prejudice would be caused to the case of the prosecution as there is every possibility that the applicant accused (Vaze) will abscond if house arrest is granted, adding that Taloja jail was aided with all modern facilities to take care of Vaze's health.

Sachin Vaze, in his application, said he underwent a complex cardiac surgery with five grafts and there was a high possibility of contracting an infection in a non-sterile environment and sought that he be placed in house custody for a period of three months.

On September 3, NIA had filed a 10,000-page long chargesheet in the Antilia Bomb case & Mansukh Hiren murder case in which Sachin Vaze, encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma were also charged with murder in the Antilia Bomb Scare case and Mansukh Hiren Murder case. As per the NIA, over 200 witnesses have recorded their statements. 

What are the Antilia Bomb Scare and Mansukh Hiren murder cases?

On February 25, at around 3 PM, a car (green Scorpio) laden with explosive gelatin sticks along with a threatening letter was found by Mumbai Police, outside the Ambani residence - Antilia. A primary investigation from the CCTV revealed that the car had been parked near the residence in the intervening night prior. Later, on March 5, Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car in question, was found dead at the Kalwa creek - with police claiming that he committed suicide by jumping into the stream. The deceased's wife, however, alleged murder and put forth that Sachin Vaze was actually using the car since November.

Shortly, then-Mumbai API Sachin Vaze who had actually been put in charge of the Antilia case, was arrested by NIA on March 13 for his alleged involvement. While Vaze was again suspended from police service amid the NIA arresting him and taking him into custody, his superior - then Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh was transferred to Home Guards due to 'lapses' in the probe. He then sent an 8-page letter to CM Thackeray, HM Anil Deshmukh and Gov Koshyari alleging that Deshmukh had demanded from Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore from 1750 pubs in Mumbai per month. Deshmukh was forced to resign from his post after a CBI inquiry was ordered against him by the Bombay HC, since upheld by the Supreme Court.

Vaze, meanwhile, was sent to Taloja jail where he remained till just days ago when he was moved to a private hospital after claiming he has a 'heart' ailment, while the Maharashtra govt has also ordered an inquiry into Param Bir Singh as to how Vaze went 'rogue' in the Antilia case while under Singh, and amid the multiple FIRs lodged against Param Bir, a warrant has also been issued for his arrest. The CBI is also probing Anil Deshmukh who has stepped down as Maharashtra's Home Minister, whereas the ED has also filed a case.

(Image: PTI/Representative Image)

(Inputs: PTI)